The Alfa Romeo Eagle is a concept car built by Pininfarina and shown at the Turin Auto Show in 1975. It was a targa-topped, wedge-shaped car built on the Alfetta GT to show that an open car with good passive safety was possible. No free photograph of this model was available for this page.
Alfa Romeo Eagle at a glance
| Shown | 1975 Turin Auto Show |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pininfarina |
| Base | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT |
| Design | Aldo Brovarone, inspired by sports prototypes and the Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12 |
| Engine | 4-cylinder Twin Cam in standard GT tune, 91.0 kW (122 hp) |
| Weight | 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb) |
| Top speed | 198 km/h (123.0 mph) |
| Roof | targa top with a swept-back roll-over bar |
| Production | none |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alfa Romeo Eagle
Three years after unveiling its Alfetta Spider prototype, built with the chassis and drivetrain of the Alfetta Berlina, Pininfarina presented a new Alfa-based styling exercise. Like the Alfetta Spider, the Eagle had a targa top, but it was built on the Alfetta GT. The goal was to show that it was possible to design an open car with good passive safety.
The wedge-shaped body was designed by Aldo Brovarone, who drew inspiration from the sports prototype cars of the time and the Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12 in particular. The body was characterised by a prominent, swept-back roll-over bar. The interior diverged strongly from the Alfa style of the time, with soft matte plastic dashboard finishes and a mono-spoke steering wheel.
With a standard GT-tune 122 hp Twin Cam engine, good aerodynamics and a weight of just 1,000 kg, the Eagle was rated at a top speed of 198 km/h while returning significantly better consumption than the model it was derived from. As with Pininfarina’s earlier Spider proposal, the Eagle did not go into production; Alfa Romeo’s management chose instead to refresh the styling of the Duetto.
Design and features
- Body: a wedge shape with a prominent swept-back roll-over bar.
- Interior: soft matte plastic dashboard finishes and a mono-spoke steering wheel.
- Mechanicals: the Alfetta GT’s four-cylinder Twin Cam engine in standard tune.
Alfa Romeo Eagle versions
- Alfetta Spider (1972): Pininfarina’s earlier prototype on the Alfetta Berlina.
- Eagle (1975): a single concept car.
More Alfa Romeo concept cars are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfetta, the Spider and the Navajo.
Alfa Romeo Eagle questions and answers
Who designed the Alfa Romeo Eagle?
Aldo Brovarone, for Pininfarina.
What is the Eagle based on?
The Alfetta GT.
What was its purpose?
To show that an open car could have good passive safety.
Was it produced?
No; Alfa Romeo refreshed the Duetto instead.
Sources
- Alfa Romeo Eagle, English Wikipedia: background, design, performance
